Drone photos show Gallows Corner water main repairs nearing final stage ahead of TfL handover

Long-running works at Gallows Corner are moving closer to completion, with repairs to the water main approaching their final testing and commissioning phase before Transport for London can begin reinstating the site.

Major water main repairs that have contributed to prolonged traffic disruption at Gallows Corner are nearing completion, with the site expected to be handed back to Transport for London (TfL) once final checks are finished.

New drone photographs taken on 8 August show the scale of the work being undertaken at the busy junction, including fenced-off working areas and sections of exposed underground pipework.

Essex and Suffolk Water (ESW) has been carrying out the complex repair programme, with specialist teams working inside the pipe itself to complete elements of the job.

The water company is now approaching the testing and commissioning stage, the final phase of its work before responsibility for the site can be returned to TfL.

A central section of the repaired pipework has already successfully passed its pressure test, which ESW described as a "significant milestone" in the programme.

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TfL preparing for next phase

Completion of the water company's work will not, however, mean an immediate end to the disruption.

Once the site has been formally handed back, TfL will need to carry out its own resurfacing and reinstatement programme before the junction can fully reopen.

A firm date for completion of that work has yet to be confirmed.

TfL is currently expecting the site to be returned by the end of August, providing an indication that the project is finally approaching an important turning point.

In an update issued on 31 July, Essex and Suffolk Water said:

“Our team has remained on track with the timelines discussed at the stakeholder site visit on 3 July and we can confirm that the complex repair part of our work will be completed in the coming days.”

The company has apologised for the disruption caused by the works and said teams are focused on completing the project as quickly and safely as possible while continuing to protect local water supplies.

Drone images reveal scale of repair operation

The latest aerial photographs provide a new perspective on the engineering work taking place beneath Gallows Corner.

Several excavated and fenced-off areas can be seen around the junction, with underground infrastructure exposed as teams progress towards completing the repair.

Traffic is continuing to use the flyover, although cones remain in place restricting part of the carriageway.

The water main works have added to disruption at an already strategically important location for traffic in east London.

Gallows Corner connects major routes including the A12, A127 and A118, making disruption at the junction capable of having consequences across the surrounding road network.

Attention will now increasingly turn to the speed at which the site can move from water main repairs to highway reinstatement.

The successful pressure test represents an important milestone, but testing and commissioning must still be completed before ESW can formally return the affected areas to TfL.

Both organisations have apologised for the impact of the works.

With the complex pipe repairs reaching their final stages, the next major milestone will be the handover to TfL – allowing resurfacing and reinstatement to begin and moving Gallows Corner another step closer to normal operation.